Self-inflating brassiere pad



Jan. 31, 1967 v. c. RAY 3,301,260

SELF-INFLATING BRASSIERE PAD Filed Dec. 11, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR /flM/4 fi/ 601mm 8mm Jan. 31, v, Q RAY SELF- INFLATING BRASS IERE PAD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 11, 1964 INVENTOR.

United States PatentC) 3,301,260 SELF-INFLATING BRASSIERE PAD Velma C. Ray, 4843 Dee Boyar Ave., Lakewood, Calif. 90712 Filed Dec. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 417,640 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-481) This invention relates to padding for undergarments, and more particularly to breast pads for use in brassieres.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved breast pad adapted to be'worn inside a brassiere so as to remedy deficiencies of bust development and to properly fill'the brassiere so as to eliminate a sagging appearance and to relieve the stress on adjacent muscles so as to provide improved comfort as well as improved appearance.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved self-inflating breast pad adapted to be worn inside a brassiere so as to properly fill the brassiere and to provide compensation for deficiencies of bust 'development or for irregularity of body contour caused by surgery, the pad being simple in construction, being easy to apply, being adjustable to any desired degree of inflation, and being arranged so that in the event of leakage of air, the pad tends to inflate rather than deflate.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved self-inflating pad device adapted to be worn inside a brassiere to provide support and being adjustable so that it can be inflate-d to the proper size to give the desired amount of uplift and support over a wide range of conditions and so as to minimize the amount of loading imposed on the wearers shoulders by the supporting straps of the associated brassiere.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of an improved self-inflating breast pad constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevational view of the pad shown in FIGURE 1 illustrating the manner in which'the free portion of the innermost flexible lining member thereof may be lifted to provide access to the inflation-adjusting plug of the pad. 2

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of FIGURE 2 and showing the plug member thereof removed from the assoadjusted deflated condition with the sealing plug' member mounted in the air escape port.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged cross sectional detail view taken substantially on the line 55 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the sealing plug member employed with the pad device of FIG- URES 1 to 5.

FIGURE 7 is a front elevational view of a modified form of self-inflating breast pad according to the present invention adapted to be used by persons suffering from a body deformity caused by surgery.

FIGURE 8 is a rear elevational view of the pad device of FIGURE 7 with the free portion of the inner lining member thereof lifted to provide access to the sealing plug member thereof.

FIGURE 9 is a side elevational view of the breast pad device of FIGURES 7 and 8.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURES 1 to 6, 11 generally designates an improved self-inflating breast pad constructed in accordance with the present invention. The pad 11 comprises an air-tight 3,301,250 Patented Jan. 31, 1967 substantially conical flexible outer wall member 12 which may be formed of any suitable resilient deformable mate'rial, such as molded latex, or the like. As shown, the outer wall member 12 is preferably molded to provide a contour simulating natural breast contour, namely, being generally cup-shaped. Designated at-1 3 is an airtight flexible inner wall member, which also may be of resilient deformable material, such as latex, or the like, said inner wall member being peripherally secured to the margin of the outer wall member, as by being cemented thereto, as shown at 14, whereby to define an air-tight enclosure therebetween. Said enclosure is filled with a mass of resilient fiber material, such as resilient polyester fiber material identified under the trademark Dacron and manufactured by the E. I. Du Pont de Nemours & Company, Inc. This material has been found to have excellent resiliency, and suflicient material of this type, designated at 15, is disposed in the aforesaid enclosure so as to fully inflate the enclosure when it is vented to the atmosphere.

The inner wall member is provided with an air escape port 16, reinforced by an inner annular rubber washer 17 secured around the inner margin of said port, the port being adapted to receive the stem 18 of a sealing plug member 19, said stem member being sealingly engageable in port 16 to seal the enclosure. Thus, if the pad is compressed so as to deflate the enclosure and the sealing plug member 19 is then engaged in the port 16, the enclosure will be held in a partially deflated condition, such as that illustrated in FIGURE 4.

As shown in FIGURE 6, the sealing plug 19 is provided with a relatively large head portion so that it can be easily grasped.

A layer of flexible material 20, of fabric, or the like, is secured to the inner wall member 13, preferably at its marginal portion, the portion of the inner lining-member 20 adjacent-the plug member 19 being left unsecured so as to define a free flap 21 which may be elevated at times to provide convenient access to the sealing plug 19.

Peripherally secured to the exterior surface of the-margin of the pad assembly is a decorative border 22 of lace, or of other similar decorative material which extends continuously around the pad device.

The pad may be provided with a cloth attachment strap 24 at the margin thereof for securing it in a garment or for securing it to a similar pad when the pads are -employed in pairs. The pads may be employed in brassieres or in any other garment, such as bathing suits, or the like.

To adjust the pad for use, the plug 19 is first removed and the pad is compressed to the amount corresponding to the degree of padding desired, after which the plug 19 is reinserted in the sealing port 16, which locks the pad in its deflated condition. In the inflated condition of the pad, the suction in the interior tends to keep the inner wall member 13 drawn inwardly to provide the configuration thereof shown in FIGURE 4. If there is any leakage, the pad tends to inflate, rather than deflate, avoiding the possibility of going flat.

The plug 19 may be of any suitable material, preferably of plastic material.

Referring now to the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 7, 8 and 9, the typical pad illustrated therein is designated generally at 40 and comprises a molded outer wall 41 of resilient deformable material, such as latex, or the like, and a similar flexible inner wall member 42, the members 41 and 42 being peripherally secured to define an air-tight enclosure. The outer wall member 41 is provided with an elongated tapering portion 43 and the inner wall member 42 is provided with a similar tapering portion which mates with the portion 4,3v andwhich is peripherally secured thereto so that the resultant enclosure has a tapering elongated extension which is engageable under the wea-rers arm. The pad device is provided with the flexible inner lining of suitable flexible material, such as fabric, .or the like, designated at 44. The inner wall member is provided with an air escape aperture in which a sealingplug 19 is receivable, the portion of the inner lining 44 adjacent the sealing plug 19 being. left unsecured so as to define a liftable flap 45 which may be elevated to provide convenient access to the sealing plug 19.

Thepad device 4G is used in substantially the same manneras previously described in connection with the pad device 11, namely, to provide a desired adjusted degree of inflation thereof so that itmay be used in conjunction with a brassiere or other undergarment to fill it out and to provide desired support.

vThe device 40 is particularly intended for use to compensate for body deformity caused by surgery.

As will be readily understood, the pad devices previously described not only provide greatly improved wearing comfort but also serve to strengthen theadjacent muscles as well as to relieve the strain on the wearers shoulders. A further feature of equal importance is the greatly improved appearance provided by the use of the pad devices of the present invention, particularly in giving a better fit in clothing as Well as improvement in posture.

While certain specific embodiments of an improved self-inflating breast pad. device have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A self-inflating breast pad adapted to be worn inside a garment comprising an air-tight substantially conical flexible outer wall member of resilient deformable material, an air-tight flexible inner wall member of resilient deformable material peripherally securedto the margin of said outer wall member, defining an air tight enclosure, a :mass of resilient fiber material contained in said enclosure and tending to expand the enclosure, said inner wall member being-provided with an air escape port, whereby air can be forced out of said enclosure by compressing the pad, and a removable plugimem ber havinga sealing shank portion sealingly engageable in eformable material peripherally secured to the margin of said outer wall member, defining an air-tight enclosure, a mass of resilient fibermaterial contained in said 4 enclosure and tending to expand the enclosure, said inner wall member being provided with an air escape port, whereby air can be forced out of said enclosure by compressing the pad, a removable plug member sealingly engageable in said port to maintain the enclosure in an adjustably deflated condition, the quantity of resilient fiber material in the enclosure being sutficient to substantially fully inflate the enclosure when said plug member is removed, and a layer of flexible material secured to said inner wall member, said last-named layer being unsecured adjacent the region containing said plug member, defining a free flap portion providing access to the plug member.

3. A self-inflating breast pad adapted to be worn inside a garment comprising an air-tight substantially conical flexible outer wall member, an air-tight flexible inner wall member peripherally secured to the margin of said outer wall member, defining an air-tight enclosure, a mass of resilient fiber material contained in said enclosure and tending to expand the enclosure, said inner wall member being provided with an air escape port, whereby air can be forced out of said enclosure by compressing the pad, and a removable plug member sealingly engageable in said port to maintain the closur in an adjustably deflated condition, the quantity of resilient fiber material in the enclosure being suflicient to substantially fully inflate the enclosure when said plug member is removed, said wall members being provided with elongated mating tapered portions, whereby to define a pad extension substantially engageable under the wearers arm.

Aself-inflating breast pad adapted to be worn inside a garment comprising an air-tight substantially conical flexible outer Wall member of resilient deformable material, an air-tight flexible inner wall member of resilient deformable material peripherally secured to the margin of said outer Wall member, defining an air-tight enclosure, a mass of resilient polyester fiber material contained in said enclosure and tending to expand the enclosure, said inner wall member being provided with an air escape. port, whereby air can be forced out of said enclosure by compressing the pad, a removable plug member sealingly engageable in said port to maintain the enclosure in an adjustably deflated condition, the quantity or resilient polyester fiber material in the enclosure being suflicient to substantially fully inflate the enclosure when said plug member is removed, and a layer of flexible fabric material secured to the margin of said inner wall member, said last-named layer being unsecured adjacent the region containing said plug member, defining a free flap portion providing access to the plug member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 861,115 7/1907 Harrison 128-462 FOREIGN PATENTS 971,130- 9/1964 Great'Britain.

ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SELF-INFLATING BREAST PAD ADAPTED TO BE WORN INSIDE A GARMENT COMPRISING AN AIR-TIGHT SUBSTANTIALLY CONICAL FLEXIBLE OUTER WALL MEMBER OF RESILIENT DEFORMABLE MATERIAL, AN AIR-TIGHT FLEXIBLE INNER WALL MEMBER OF RESILIENT DEFORMABLE MATERIAL PERIPHERALLY SECURED TO THE MARGIN OF SAID OUTER WALL MEMBER, DEFINING AN AIR-TIGHT ENCLOSURE, A MASS OF RESILIENT FIBER MATERIAL CONTAINED IN SAID ENCLOSURE AND TENDING TO EXPAND THE ENCLOSURE, SAID INNER WALL MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH AN AIR ESCAPE PORT, WHEREBY AIR CAN BE FORCED OUT OF SAID ENCLOSURE BY COMPRESSING THE PAD, AND A REMOVABLE PLUG MEMBER HAVING A SEALING SHANK PORTION SEALINGLY ENGAGEABLE IN SAID PORT TO MAINTAIN THE ENCLOSURE IN AN ADJUSTABLY DEFLATED CONDITION, THE QUANTITY OF RESILIENT FIBER MATERIAL IN THE ENCLOSURE BEING SUFFICIENT TO SUBSTANTIALLY FULLY INFLATE THE ENCLOSURE WHEN SAID SEALING SHANK PORTION IS REMOVED. 